The past two weeks have mainly been just running, I haven't found the time to incorporate cross training such as spinning or body pump. I have however made a serious effort to include some ab work after each run which I think is helping - my core feels stronger at least.
The main problem I have been finding is the weather is forcing me to run on the treadmill rather than outside. I don't actually mind running in the rain but I lack the motivation to do it a 6.30am. I am better at finding the motivation to get myself to the gym at this time tho. I have been increasing the intensity of my treadmill workouts though. Instead of my previous 2 mins power walking at 6km per hour pace I now just do one minute. I have also increased my 3 min run from between 10-11.5km per hour to 12-12.5km per hour. Baby steps.
I did manage a long run of 17 miles at the weekend though. Although the first half was fairly easy, by the end I was left wondering how I would ever run a marathon. Reassuringly though when I looked at my splits my last 3 miles were some of my fastest - my last was only 1 second off my fastest. This was very reassuring that although I didn't feel like picking up the pace I was able to.
My fundraising is also going pretty well. I organised a book, DVD and cake sale at work and was overwhelmed with donations and made £183 in total. I also spent a morning in my local Tesco store collecting donations. However there was a mix up and ended up being 3 charities collecting on the same day. We still made £113 but are going back next month for a full weekend and as the only charity so should be more successful.
I made it to Parkrun for the first time in a few weeks this past weekend. And although it felt like the eye of a storm at the beginning, it was glorious sunshine by the end. My PB (according to my watch is 24.08) so I knew I wasn't to break it just before the last corner but decided on a death or glory finish anyway. It turned out my Parkrun PB was 24.29 and I came in at 24.30!! Beyond annoying! Next week I will beat it.
My training plan includes a Saturday Parkrun (or 3 miles) each week, including before races and long runs so I kept did Parkrun and the Bramley 20 this weekend, making a total of 23 miles!
I really wasn't looking forward to Bramley at all. In fact I was very close to contacting the race director in the few weeks leading up and asking to drop down to the 10 mile race instead. I didn't in the end and the morning of the race was beyond nervous - I've never felt so nervous before, I was almost in tears and really didn't want to do it.
The course is a 10 mile lap that you do twice. There is also the option to just do the 10 miles. Last year I raced Bramley - set out as fast as I could, was worn out by mile 7 and seriously wanted to come in a 10 miles. I remember running past the 10 mile mark when everyone was dropping off and couldn't imagine how I would do another 10 miles. I also remember struggling from mile 15 and hitting the wall at 18. My official time was 3:09:48. My training went a bit off afterwards too, I stopped enjoying run, I rewarded myself with lots of takeaways and kind of felt tired of training.
Back to this year and I was worried about having a similar experience and also not being able to beat my previous time - surely year after year I should be getting faster right? A friend who runs a lot had said it is better to try and do Bramley in 3.30 to maximize time on the feet rather than to race it which was reassuring - no matter how slow I am it is all going to help on the day. I also told myself if I am having a tough time I will just come in at 10 miles.
I told myself I would set off slowly and see how I feel. I had a few plans in my mind - one was to take the first 5 miles slow, race the next 10 and then take the final 5 slow. Another plan was to just keep the average pace visible on my watch and try and keep under last years 9.30 average. And another was to try and do a tempo run, getting faster each mile.
In the end I ran with how I felt. I set off and decided to keep the first 5 miles slow. My first mile was 8.40 but it felt really slow. After mile 2 I noticed I was just behind a lady called Grace, who was a friend of a friend who I met at the Meet the Experts talk a few weeks ago. According to my watch she was keeping a 9.15-9.30 pace so I stuck behind her for about a mile and a half. Literally right behind, I was itching to go faster. Eventually I ran next to her for a bit and then pushed on. She caught up just up the road and I stayed with her until just after mile 5. I was amazed how quickly mile 5 came - were we really a quarter of the way through already?!
After a good start I broke the race down into 5 mile quarters in my head so I just had to reach the next 5 miles, rather than run another 14 miles. This really helped and I found the race flew by. The water stations were at miles 2.5 and just past mile 8. There was glucose drink stations at mile 5 and 10 so every 2.5-3 miles I could break up with a drink stop.
I also tried out Clif Shot Bloks for the first time (poss a little risky in a race but there were no spectators, just country lanes and plenty of fields should there be an issue). I was really excited to try these and they were my reward for the race. I tried them after Hell Runner and they were really yummy and easy to eat. I find with gels I can often feel a bit sick and I think it's because you take the whole thing in one go. With Shot Bloks you get 6 little cubes of jelly in a pack and one pack in the equivalent of 2 gels. I had the black cherry and the orange with me. I didn't realize but both contain caffeine and the black cherry is a shot and the orange half a shot. I'm not entirely sure what that means in terms of how much caffeine, but the orange is less.
I told myself I would have a Shot Blok every 5 miles. So just after mile 5 I rewarded myself with a black cherry one and they were yummy. I didn't feel like I needed one but I had planned it as a reward besides it would no doubt benefit me for the next few miles.
After mile 3 I noticed I was over taking a lot of people and rarely being over taken myself. Mentally this was really encouraging for me. Normally I start way too fast and start getting over taken from mile 2 until the finish, rarely overtaking anyone myself.
Before I knew it I was at mile 10. I had told myself if I was not enjoying it or struggling I could come in at this point but as I approached I knew it felt way to early to be coming in and I had loads left in the tank. My boyfriend was doing the 10 miler and I knew he'd have finished and I'd get to see him so that got my through from mile 9-10. After a quick high 5 and finding out he had finished in an amazing 1.23 (his Great South Run time in October was 1.34 so an amazing PB) I was past the point of no return and setting off for a further 10 miles.
I tried to to think about how far I had to go still and broke the race down into bite size amounts. The last time miles were still by the 5 mile markers but also my the drinks stations. It was a surprisingly hot day and I was getting pretty thirsty. I tried not to think about this though and just ploughed on. There were noticeably far fewer people around for the second leg. I did notice a lot of people up ahead but too far for me to catch, but slowly over the next few miles I overtook most of them. The second leg was harder but at no point did I think I can't do this or I'm struggling.
From mile 17 to the finish I had half a Shot Blok per mile and offered them to people around me (read as - as I overtook people). Miles 6.5-8 and 16.5-18 were a gradual incline and 17 and 18 were my slowest 2 miles at 9.53 and 10.03.
But before I knew it I was coming in to the finish. I was in shock at the finish. I didn't race but kept a steady pace the whole way round, I didn't hit the wall and I felt I had something left in the tank at the end. My official time was 3:09:04 - watch says 3:08:22 but I paused when I dived behind a bush for a wee at mile 11.5. But I feel so much better about my training right now. Annoying the 10 and 20 mile finishers got the same medal and goody bag - I felt mine should have been better as I ran twice as far lol
I think hydrating well in the days leading up helped. As did spending most of Saturday lying on the sofa watching House of Cards (after Parkrun). I also had porridge, 2 gluten free bagels, a big bowl of gluten free pasta and garlic bread on the Saturday so loads of carbs. I will be using Shot Bloks again too, if nothing else I liked the taste but I might try not using them much until London so they are a little treat for the day.
All in all I am pretty happy right now - everything staying on track I should definitely break the 4.30 mark in April. My right ankle is sore so I will take a few days off to rest then recommence training :-)
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